


Consequences. Often far reaching and unpredictable

by Itylien



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Accidental Voyeurism, Age Difference, M/M, POV Outsider
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-05
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-11-12 07:59:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,065
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18006962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Itylien/pseuds/Itylien
Summary: In the perfect world he would have forgotten all about it very next day. Life was busy! Crops to plant, ore to smelt, chickens to feed.Sometimes everything conspired against him though.





	Consequences. Often far reaching and unpredictable

**Author's Note:**

> You know most AO3 writers post well structured, well written stories? I'm not one of those.

**Consequences. Often far reaching and unpredictable**

There were two and only two kinds of days in the mines. Either Tseng returned home in the middle of the night, happy and with his pockets filled with rubies or he barely managed to keep his life.

Today was the later.

He was exhausted, beaten and bloody. With no rubies to speak of at all.

Days like this usually ended early though. Early enough there was - now that the earthquake cleaned up the landslide Joja almost certainly caused and very certainly didn’t bother to clean up - time to hit the bathhouse.

Pelican Town public baths were probably ancient already by the time grandpa Roger roamed the countryside. The bathhouse was dingy and musty. In places tiles were broken, in other slick with the kind of organic green residue Tseng did not want to identify.

It would be easy to say it was worthless and rightfully forgotten if not for the water.

There was no getting around the fact that water pressure in Pelican Town sucked. Closest water tower was all the way in Zuzu City and yes, town people seemed to be dealing just fine with local supply but Tseng was a city boy. And grandpa Roger house didn’t have bathtub.

Lukewarm, tinkling showers - uncomfortably resembling getting pissed on - got old real fast.

Now, in the smelly, old bath house, that was absolutely free of any charge to use, the water was always at just the right temperature. No matter if he hit it at the very crack of dawn or in the blackest midnight hours - it was clean, hot and perfect.

Also no one else seemed to use it. Tseng was always alone in there.

So when he heard voices coming from the gym, surprise was too weak a word to describe his reaction.

He knew himself to be cursed with good morals. It hurt him before and it will again but he couldn’t walk pass and not offer help if he seen someone in need. Still, he at least tried not to get involved in local drama, so his plan was to ghost past the doors, hit the showers - water pressure was somehow absolutely perfect here - and melt in the divine heat until whoever was invading the premises vacates them.

Unfortunately in the absolute tenth of a second Tseng had to pass ajar gym doors his eye managed to register something that his brain immediately deemed worth investigation, even if his gut told him to scram immediately, don’t look back.

He recognized Sebastian dark countenance at first glance, and the boy bracketing him into the lockers could only be Alex - brown hair in disarray and workout clothing absolutely soaked through to the very point of indecency.

Tseng didn’t know either of them too well, beyond the common knowledge. Sebastian spend most of his days in Robin’s den, staring at screens or into books. He was probably reedy and lanky and definitely pale. Tseng suspected his natural hair color would be very close to his mother fiery auburn as he had inherited her fair complexion. Sebastian was also, apparently, very into programing, and good enough at it to be making real money - as Sam put it.

In a word, and Tseng was not proud of his apparently outdated already way of thinking, Sebastian was a mathlete.

And as such if he were to be - as he was right now - cornered by an actual athlete Tseng would feel immediate obligation to help him extricate himself from the situation.

He didn’t know Alex too well. The boy was hard to talk to, with his head shoved into his ass quite deeply. He didn’t strike Tseng as aggressive type sparse few time they actually exchanged thoughts and not just pleasantries but who was he to know how interpersonal dynamics of this small town actually went? Maybe it was an open secret that these two boys hated each other and should never be allowed in one place at one time?

Tseng was about to bang the doors open all the way but at the second glance something about the scene didn’t look quite right, didn’t fit neatly into the geek bothered by a jock scenario his brain started to react to.

For one while Alex arms were clearly bracketing Sebastian as not to let the other boy run away, his head was resting on Sebastian shoulder in a way that almost looked…

Situation recalibrated itself before his eyes like one of those two in one images where you can see a rabbit and a duck in the very same blob of ink.

Sebastian hands were quite obviously - now that he cared to notice - in the other boy pants, both of them. He was saying something that had Alex visibly shiver and had a smile on his face. Unpleasant smile.

Suddenly instead of mathlete cornered by an athlete he was looking at a young boy being lead around by his dick by someone older. Sebastian was in his early twenties if he was a day and Alex was barely out of high school. Maybe almost out of high school. Whatever was going on here needed to have a stop put to it as soon as…

A groan echoed off the tiles as Alex arched into Sebastian stroking hand, his head thrown back, grasping at the other boy arms. He looked into Sebastian face, pulling him close, going in for a kiss, mewling like a kitten at whatever the other boy was doing.

Another recalibration had the situation swiftly classified as private, in no need of witnesses, which was really how it should have been from the start. The boys kissed like it was not new for either of them. They were both involved and agile and... loud.

Tseng took his things and headed for the showers.

Hopefully they’ll be done by the time he’s ready for a quiet soak.

*

In the perfect world he would have forgotten all about it very next day. Life was busy! Crops to plant, ore to smelt, chickens to feed.

Sometimes everything conspired against him though.

Rainy days were very precious in Pelican Valley. Only handful a season, much lauded in the weather forecast as well as greenhorn farmers tv tips.

No watering necessary - harvest and feeding his only tasks for a day. A pleasure if there was ever any.

By 7 in the morning he was done and had to decide what to do with the rest of the day. He could go back to bed - always an option - or he could try to fortify his feeble finances. Clint drove a hard bargain and all Tseng money were gone with the wind when he left his watering can to be upgraded yesterday.

To that end - either the mines or fishing. And there was no risk in fishing.

By 8:30 he hit the shore. Found a sweet platter of sashimi in Gus trashcan on the way there. The owner of local tavern was the kind of aging high camp gay that would throw out perfectly good platter of pricey fish because marbling on the tuna was not quite eye pleasing enough once he portioned it. All the residents of Pelican Town had their crazy moments. No wonder Linus - the one who ate from their trash - was also the most corpulent.

Tseng settled in - fishing rod held aloft, popping out fishes like they’ve lined up under there, dashing into Wally’s little vag-smelling emporium every once in a while to unload his catch.

He hardly noticed Sebastian on the southward pier. They boy was like a ghost. Well maybe he walked passed as Tseng was struggling with an eel - bomb could go off next to him and if fishing was going good he’ll never hear it.

Tseng might have been born a good man, his morals sturdy in clarity of reason but that didn’t mean he was immune to the pleasure of fucking with people.

He remembered the sashimi - pulled from the trash yes, but Gus trash! The man thrown it out on a platter, wrapped in foil. It barely even counted! - if Robin is to be believed, is her son favorite food. Looking at him, staring longingly out into the sea, looking a lot like goth siren with his hood pulled up, Tseng took her word.

He walked over, offered Sebastian the food - received a brilliant smile in exchange, god people here were easy - and while this wasn’t a prime fishing spot Tseng cast the rod just for effect, before he said, looking at the boy from the corner of one eye

“So. Is it only underage boys, or can anyone get in on the action?” he asked. Nonchalant as you please. Sebastian threw the most withering glare he ever witnessed his way which would have been more worrying if Tseng wasn’t certain positive of being in position of absolute moral superiority here.

“For the last time I am not fucking Sam. Did ms Jodie put you up to this?” Sebastian huffed in exasperation, visibly weighing how nice did he have to be to a man who just gave him raw fish on a platter. Tseng didn’t turn fully his way but he did meet his eyes as he said

“Well, not Sam.” and looked slowly away towards the water as if he found his bobber more interesting than this conversation.

This was fun.

Sebastian deflated some, his hands going into his, certainly soaking wet, pockets

“You saw.” he said, feebly. Tseng had to look at him. The boy just sounded all of 12 years old. This wasn’t exactly the reaction he expected which forced him to change his tone slightly - from mocking to concerned.

One could not fight one’s nature to any degree of success for long.

“Yes I saw. I also saw you didn’t even have a shower afterward and I don't know about you but he could have used one.”

It worked somewhat, making the boy snort but he was also a formidable opponent because next words out of his mouth almost had Tseng choking on his own tongue.

“So what? This is you blackmailing me into sleeping with you?” said Sebastian in a deadpan so perfect it took a moment to register he is in fact actually joking. Or he better be.

A fish took this opportunity to take a bait. Distracted, Tseng still managed to pull it out - a beautiful golden eel, worth its weight in gold. Good catch. Tseng shook himself and fully turned to the other man on the pire, rolling his eyes at his smirk.

“Sure. Why not. But actually I wanted to make sure you and your boy keep the doors to your little man-cave closed. I’m using the facilities sometimes too.” he snarked, amused irritated.

“He’s not my boy.” Sebastian muttered, looking towards the sea again.

In hindsight that has been a red flag, but at the time Tseng considered their conversation finished, returning to his favorite eel rock.

He had a grand day and made lots of money selling the catch. He was also validated that, even though he did still hear suspicious noises from run down public gym the doors were mostly shut so anything could be going on there and he didn’t have to know.

*

Weeks later it was somehow - without his knowledge or consent - established that Tseng is to be Alex secret santa during The Feast of Winter Star and by then he still wasn’t really friendly with the boy so he gave him a ruby when everyone was watching and in private slipped him a bag of lube and condoms, which made the boy warm up to him considerably.

Tseng thought they could never be friends but by late spring he was privy to Alex hopes, dreams and entire extended backstory which kind of made him easier to stomach but not really.

The boy was real young. His dreams were… also real young.

It was just Tseng luck that he got to know Alex better at about the same time he was also in the middle of supporting Shane through his addiction therapy and reading a lot of psychology bullshit which - fun oh fun - really applied too well to his everyday life.

Alex was hard working and his issues were not groundless but he had a… way of casually making homophobic putdowns? Performing heteronormativity in frankly disturbing ways? Making no-homo jokes that rung desperate?

At one point while talking to him on the beach Tseng couldn’t help but ask himself - is this how internalized homophobia looks like? Is this how it would look like on a boy getting sly handjobs from another boy at a local rundown gym?

And his thrice damned morals kicked in again, making him ask

“Do you consider me a friend?” even though he did really knew better then to get involved in this drama.

Alex, who was not the brightest star in the sky on a good day, seemed confused for a moment, an even a bit distrustful when he said that yes, he did consider Tseng to be a friend.

“I think you’re my friend also, Alex. And you know that means I like you right? I like you just the way you are.” he said, as the boy kept side eying him, clearly uncomprehending. “You don’t have to… posture in front of me. I’m not going to stop liking you because of your preferences.”

And… well. This really did not go over well. Alex paled, then flushed bright red that starkly contrasted with his jacked, then excused himself and ran away at speed that only a high school athlete would consider casual.

Tseng thought that was that for this line of questioning. He was not a therapist and the only advise all the sources agreed upon was to reassure struggling people that they are loved which he just did to bad results.

It wasn’t until the evening of this very same day, when he happened upon Sebastian working on his bike, that he realized - yikes. Consequences. Often far reaching and unpredictable.

*

Under engine grese Sebastian eye was clearly swollen, he had a fat lip and a bandage on his nose, probably patched-up by Maru. He did not react to Tseng greetings, but didn’t protest when he entered the garage.

“So. Hi. Yeah. I think that one on me?” he said, uncomfortable with the situation. Did he misjudged Alex and his violent tendencies?

Sebastian looked his way and for a moment said nothing, but after a while set his tools aside and sat up. His head hanging between his knees, he looked up at Tseng with his regular sardonic raised eyebrow:

“You know, I think it is.” he sighed, but didn’t say anything further. The silence kept stretching until Tseng couldn't take it any longer - about 2 seconds.

“No ok in my defence I didn’t say anything remotely justifying this. I didn’t ask him about you at all. But Sebastian your boy is a mess. I can’t just stand back and watch him hate himself ok? I had to do something.”

“So what did you do?” Sebastian asked, clearly curious rather than angry. Good.

“Told him I’m still gonna like him no matter what he “prefers”. That might not… have been the best way to put it? I think he heard me say I’m ok with him taking it up the ass.”

He slid to the ground next to Sebastian who shook his head at him, justifiably so.

“I don’t care.” The boy shrugged, wry smile stretching his painful looking lip. A bit of blood seeped from where the skin was broken.

“You don’t care.” Tseng repeated, incredulity clearly present in his voice.

“I don’t care, it’s not a…”

“Last week I saw you eating the boy sweaty asshole and now you’re trying to tell me you’re not emotionally involved.” Yes they were mostly good about keeping the doors closed, but only mostly.

“We don’t talk ok? We just… do stuff.” again Sebastian reverted to his inner 12 year old and Tseng wondered should it be worrying that it kept happening when they were talking about sex.

“Do stuff? How old are you? What the hell?”

“We fuck from time to time. It’s not a thing outside of that.” Irritatingly clear enonciation. Still 12, but belligerent. Tseng could easily imagine Sebastian doing that to his homeroom teacher.

When did his life come to resemble high school drama? Not to mention from what he was able to ascertain they had “not a thing outside of that” for about a year now. Long time for a _thing_ to not get outside of _that_.

“Why did he came to beat on you then?” he asked, trying to avoid puerile banter when there were clearly more serious issues to address.

“He thinks I’ve talked to you about us.” well good thing the “us” could squeeze through his throat there. “I told him I did.”

“You did??” he asked, incredulously. Then thought on the matter for few seconds “Ok no. You’re a dick. That was a year ago and barely counted! Did you wanted the boy to hit you?”

There was no reply and Tsen sighed, deflating and leaning back on the bike, then right back up because the machine was not in any way a stable support.

“You wanted the boy to hit you. Why did you wanted the boy to hit you?”

Sebastian wasn’t looking at him, was instead wiping his fingers on a rag that frankly did not help matters. He was watching the movement of his own hands intently though, still not replying.

“Sebastian.” He prompted, absolutely hating how it sounded like his mother to his own ears. Also that he had to talk to his friends the way his mother talked to him when he was 8.

And damn it Sebastian was a friend. That exchange at a pier was, against all odds, a beginning of beautiful friendship. The boy liked sashimi? Tseng could give him all the sashimi in the world.

Also being friends with Sebastian by default meant being friends with Sam who was even easier. A can of joja cola kept Tseng very firmly in his best graces even though he barely put in any effort beside that. From Sam he learned Sebastian liked frozen tear crystals - because of course he did, that absolute emo - and from there he was sure he became Sebastian favorite person in town over the winter.

Maybe not counting the boy he was fucking but. by his own admission. never spoke to.

“It seemed like the easiest way to end things.” the boy said finally, putting the rag away. His hands were still dirty, in smudges now rather than stains.

“End things.” Tseng repeated, in disbelief.

“Yeah.”

“Ok I’m calling bullshit on that one. If you wanted to end the “things” you would have. What do you even have in common with that boy? Anything? You’re going into that nasty gym exclusively to fuck him. If you wanted to end things you’d... Stop going… And his head would explode.” Tseng spoke more slowly, truth of his own words realizing in his mind and they queued up to be said. “You wanted him to end things. Oh Yoba... Sebastian are you in love with this boy?” So much for the _things_ and them not getting outside of _that_.

“Doesn't matter now.” Sebastian said with really impressive degree of conviction for a broken hearted kid sprouting bullshit to save face.

“How come? Tomorrow you gonna see him around town and ok you think he’s gonna be just fine but you’re not gonna be. He’s not gonna be either! News flash! You shouldn’t have made him hit you!”

Sebastian brought his dirty hands to his face, rested his face on his knuckles and his elbows on his knees. A bit belatedly Tseng realized Sebastian was not Shane - he probably knew most of what Tseng was ranting about already. When the boy started to talk it was muffled, his eyes were on the ground.

“I heard his grandma tell ms. Caroline he’s finally gotten the scholarship. New Apata team wants him to start training with them this autumn.”

“New Apata? That’s all the way on the other side of the Continent.” Tseng said, surprised. Even he knew it was one of the beast teams in the country. Alex did mentioned some time ago his next game was a big deal, but he never elaborated on that afterwards.

“He’s going to be gone.” Sebastian said, his voice almost not breaking over gone. “So it doesn’t matter.”

“Oh. Oh boy. You thought it would be best to use this opportunity to have a clean break. He breaks up with you… over me? Does he think I’m fucking you too?” Sebastian shrugged at that. Yeah, who knows. “He breaks up with you now, on your own terms and you don’t have to wait for him to do it later… Or just find out one day he didn’t even say goodbye. Oh Sebastian…”

Tseng felt a lot like he imagined someone unmarried aunt may. He followed the sudden impulse to flick the boy broken lip, Sebastian flinched away, surprised.

“Still a dick thing to do - making him hit you. The boy has issues, didn’t you noticed?” But on the other hand, Tseng thought, looking into Sebastian face, would he? If they didn’t talk and only fucked? Probably not. He made his exhale long and calming before saying

“His dad was the hitting kind. Not that Alex ever said as much to me, but I have eyes. I assume his dad was also many other kinds of things. That Alex is kind of struggling not to be. Was it his idea, your idea or just an idea to fuck on the sly?” He asked, Sebastian looked a bit stricken, but he couldn’t have been all that surprised. Alex was not complicated as a person.

“Mine.” Sebastian said finally, slowly. Looking at his knuckles. Visibly thinking. Hopefully on how much he fucked up. “I didn’t think he’d mind.” He said, absently.

Yeah… Such a dick. Sebastian was such a dick. Maybe this is really for the best and Tseng should just leave them two clowns to it. Alex gonna be gone to try and get his dreams going for real hopefully forgetting all about this… Yeah… Forgetting all about hitting someone who he was emotionally involved with because he was angry. That must feel like a million prism shards right about now.

“I’d tell you to go talk to him but I don’t think this is best time to practice. You’re a self-centered prick Sebastian. You lucky you’re my friend and I like you the way you are.” Tseng said, getting up. Sebastian looked up at him, confused. Wow did the boy expected to be consoled? Better not. He’s gonna be dissapointed.

“Sorry I’m a bit too worried the kid may try and kill himself over this to feel too bad for you. I’ll try to do some damage control and you better be at that nasty gym tomorrow. Maybe just maybe I’ll convince him to see you again.” he threw a meaningful glance at the boy “So that you can apologize for playing with him and start on that talking thing you should have gotten going long time ago.”

He was about to hit the road, but he realized he forgot something. Tseng turned to Sebastian, who was looking at him wide eyed and slightly horrified, and returned to his side for another conversation.

“Why didn’t you want people to know you’re fucking Alex? Not even Sam has any idea. Not even Abigail. Why not? Is it the gay thing?”

It better not be the gay thing. He could maybe fail to deal with one boy internalized homophobia on this cheery evening, but not two.

“I don’t like explaining myself…” Sebastian said, quietly. He was still thinking apparently. Better late than never and all that. Just to be safe Tseng grabbed him b his face - not pressing oto the swollen eye but not avoiding it either, and said

“If you think Robin will be anything but supportive your head is in your ass and if you worried about Demetrius... I wouldn’t. No offence but the guy can’t care about you any less. Sorry.”

Sebastian laughed in that startled, punched out way he had. It was satisfying.

End

**Author's Note:**

> So these are obviously part I and II of a there or even four part story. I'm aware but parts III and IV will be more pornless young adult drama I have no interest in writing.
> 
> Tseng gonna convince Alex to give it a go, Alex and Sebastian gonna get their shit together over the summer, ther'll be some minor drama by the end of part III where they try to break up because long distance romance never works but Tseng and his excellent morals just throw all the summer melon money at them with a gruff "don't make me regret it" and they but move into the city to try and live together.  
> Five years later they both return to Pelican Town to open state of the art physical therapy clinic in the old Joja Mart.


End file.
